


Home Skies

by kyrdwyn



Series: Skies Series [14]
Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Kid Fic, Lifemates - Freeform, M/M, OMG I finally finished this series, The Author Regrets Nothing, Wow, about a decade later, bonded characters, canon took a left turn at the end of season 1, so nothing after that really applies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-08 21:08:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5513372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyrdwyn/pseuds/kyrdwyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trip and Malcolm, and their family, finally find home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home Skies

**Author's Note:**

> Wow. So, I started this series way back in the day, when Enterprise was still on the air. After a while, the inspiration for it disappeared and it sat dormant for years. Until "Into Darkness" came out, and I was trying to think of a plot for NaNoWriMo that year. And I thought about pairing two characters up with the same plot device as here. And then went, "I should finish Skies instead", and the plot bunny attacked and agreed.
> 
> So, this is it. The final story in the Skies Series. I have some other stories around, side stories that extend the universe into the 2009/2011 movie verses, but I will make no guarantees as to if I will ever post them. (As they're not finished).
> 
> But, seriously, I want to thank all of you who have read, commented, kudo'd, and otherwise enjoyed the story for all these years, despite the fact that it wasn't finished. I hope you enjoy the final chapter.

* * *

"They've gotten their son back on the metaphysical plane, with the help of young Merisel," Doctor Phlox told Captain Archer. "But we still need to get him back physically before either man will be happy."

"I can't say I blame them for being unhappy that their son has been stolen from them. I'm just glad they were able to keep their lines," and that was an odd thing to say, but considering lines were how Morganians, Chancel and Merisel's species, identified family, and how any Morganian knew that Malcolm Reed and Trip Tucker had adopted Chancel and Merisel, keeping them was just as important as having physical custody of their children. "We're not too far from the coordinates of the Morganian medical ship. I'm hoping we can keep this to a mere diplomatic session, instead of having to go in guns blazing. I don't want Chancel to be inadvertently hurt by anything we do."

"We appreciate that, Cap'n," Trip said as he entered the Sickbay, Malcolm right behind him. Both men had been released to go back to their ship, the _Kraynita_ , for the needed rest that they wouldn't get in Sickbay, but Phlox had wanted them back for a checkup. Merisel, their Morganian daughter, was in Trip's arms, her face buried in his neck. "We just want our son back."

"And Kryalchek's head on a platter," Malcolm said darkly. 

"That's messy," Merisel said softly, and Malcolm's scowl softened into a smile and he reached over to stroke a finger over his daughter's cheek.

"That's true," he said. "I'll keep the mess to a minimum."

"Good, because I don't relish having to explain that to Starfleet," Jon said. 

"I'll keep him in line, Cap'n," Trip replied with a look at his husband. Malcolm gave him a look back, and it was evident that they were communicating along their kt'alini bond, the telepathic connection granted to them by the kt'alini life form that had saved their lives almost a year ago on Il'endi, after they had crashed and been stranded.

"T'Pol to Captain Archer."

Jon went over to the communications panel and hit the control. "Archer here."

"We are in visual range of the Morganian medical ship."

"Can we hail them?"

"Ensign Sato is trying, but so far there has been no response."

Jon looked over at Trip and Malcolm, who were looking apprehensive. "Keep trying," he ordered. "Mr. Tucker, Mr. Reed, and I are heading for the bridge. Archer out."

"Merisel, will you be okay staying here with Doctor Phlox?" Trip asked the young girl.

Merisel raised her head to look at Trip and Malcolm. "Are you going to get my serith?" she asked.

"We are. And we will bring him back to you, love," Malcolm said. "We will be together."

Merisel looked between her two fathers, then nodded. Trip carefully set her down, and Merisel gave him a quick hug before giving one to Malcolm. "Bring him home," she ordered.

"We will, Meri," Trip said. "You be good for Doctor Phlox."

"I will." She went to stand by the Denobulan doctor. He turned to say something to her, something that Jon didn't hear as he and Malcolm and Trip headed for the doors.

"If we have to go over to the ship, I'm assuming you want to be on the boarding party, Malcolm."

The look the British man gave Jon clearly indicated what he thought of staying behind. "That's my son, Captain. Begging your pardon, but he's not going to be enthusiastic about members of Starfleet without one of his parents around. And I'm not standing on the bridge, waiting to see if you can bring him back."

"I'll stay, so Merisel doesn't have to be alone, and if we're close enough, Malcolm and I can be a secondary communications link between the ships, one the Morganians will have a hard time jamming," Trip added with a wink as they entered the turbolift. Trip hit the button for the bridge. "I'd rather be there with you, Mal, but I can wait for you to bring our son home."

"I will bring him home, come hell or high water," Malcolm said fiercely. "Kryalchek's head on a platter is just icing on the cake."

"What would you even do with his head?" Jon asked with morbid curiosity.

"Figurehead on the bow of the _Kraynita_?" Trip suggested. "Tool storage?"

"It would make a terrible football I fear. Or even a handegg," he added with a wink that got a chuckle from Trip, clearly a private joke between them.

"Yes, it would," Trip said as the turbolift slowed and the doors opened. Trip gestured for Jon to go first and Jon stepped onto the bridge, Trip and Malcolm right behind him. The Alpha shift bridge crew was still on duty, despite it being closer to Gamma shift. Travis, Hoshi, and Alan were at their stations, with Hess's deputy at the engineering station. T'Pol had been in the captain's chair, but she gracefully vacated it for the science station when Jon approached. Trip and Malcolm came to stand behind his chair. Malcolm stood with his arms crossed over his chest, but Trip's hand gripped the railing. 

"Status report," Jon ordered as he sat down. 

"We are less than five minutes from being able to attach the grapplers to the Morganian medical ship if need be," T'Pol said. "They have still not responded to our hails."

"I know the signal is getting through, Captain," Hoshi said. "There's no jamming, no static. They just aren't responding."

Jon contemplated the scene on the view screen. The Morganian medical ship - had they ever gotten a name for it? Jon knew the Morganians did name their ships, but this one either didn't have one or they'd just never used it in the Starfleet crew's hearing - was at a stop, drifting in a controlled fashion near a moon, as if it were waiting for _Enterprise_.

"Hoshi, hail them once more," Jon said. "Maybe they'll listen to me."

Hoshi nodded and turned to her console. After a few moments, she looked up at Jon and nodded.

"This is Captain Jonathan Archer of the Earth Starship _Enterprise_. You have kidnapped the child of two members of my crew," for that was still how he thought of Trip and Malcolm, still his crew despite the months on the _Kraynita_ , "and are holding him against his will and the will of his parents by family lines," he added, giving Trip and Malcolm's claim the highest legitimacy it had in Morganian culture. "If you do not return Chancel to our care, we will remove him from your ship - by force if necessary."

For three long minutes, there was no response. Then, finally, the communications system came to life. "This is Tianara-meranith of the Morganian Medical Vessel _Helletsina_. Violence will not be necessary, Captain Archer. The child Chancel will be returned to his line parents, Trip Tucker and Malcolm Reed."

Jon frowned at the screen, though the connection was audio only. "How can we be sure you are telling the truth?"

"You are welcome to dock with our ship, and we will return him to you." She paused. "Not everyone on this ship agreed with the actions of Kryalchek-meranith, Captain Archer."

Jon gestured for Hoshi to mute their end of the conversation before he turned to look at Trip and Malcolm. They were looking at each other, making subtle movements in response their conversation along the kt'alini bond. Finally, Trip nodded and sighed. "Malcolm is going with you, Cap'n. I'll stay here."

"Sir," Alan said, looking straight at Archer.

"Get a shuttle pod ready, Mr. Meyer. You, me, Mr. Reed, and one of the doctors if we can spare them, are going over there. Make sure all of us have phase pistols," he added.

Alan nodded and left the tactical station, heading for the turbo lift. "I could use a hand, Mr. Reed."

Malcolm gave Alan a dark smile. "I'd be delighted."

Trip watched Malcolm go, then turned back to Jon. "Good luck, Cap'n."

"I'll bring him home, Trip. Both of them," he added.

"Thanks, Cap'n." The smile on Trip's face barely touched his eyes, which were clouded with worry. "I think I'll stay on the bridge, if you don't mind."

"Not at all," Jon said. "We'll be back soon." He headed for the lift. T'Pol headed for his chair, and she inclined her head to Trip, then to her station. Trip nodded back and took T'Pol's place to monitor the area. Jon couldn't help but smile as the turbolift doors closed.

* * *

Malcolm checked the phase pistol again as the shuttlepod approached the _Helletsina_. //I'm sure it's fine, Malcolm,// Trip said along their bond.

//I just need something to do with my hands. I want so badly just to leap out of the pod and take him back, and I'm afraid the Captain will want to try to negotiate a release first.//

//As much as I want to kill the man that took our son, I'll settle for getting him back alive and relatively unhurt, considering he was hurt by the ceremony that tried to take our lines from him.//

//What kind of doctor inflicts that much psychic pain on a child?// Malcolm practically snarled.

//The kind that has an inflated sense of ego, and spent a bit too much time in medical school reading the wrong things.//

//I think there's something else there, though. I just don't know what.//

"Malcolm, we're docking," the captain said quietly.

//Time to run, love, and get our son back.//

//Be careful. Meri and I need you both home in one piece and unscathed.//

//I will do my best.//

The shuttlepod drifted into the _Helletsina_ 's port docking station. The clamps sealed, and air was forced into connection. The seal's indicator lights turned green and Alan released their side just as the _Helletsina_ 's door opened. On the other side stood Tianara-meranith. She gave them both a small nod. "Captain Archer, Mr. Reed, Ensign Meyer. Welcome aboard."

Malcolm was in no mood to deal with the social graces. "Where is my son?"

"Sleeping peacefully in our medical wing. Please, come with me. Chancel will be glad to see you."

"You're being awfully accommodating," Jon said abruptly.

"The try'al'aeth rightfully failed," she said tightly. "There is no reason to keep you separated from your son, Mr. Reed."

"You couldn't have figured that out on the _Enterprise_?" Malcolm snarled.

"Not without going through the try'al'aeth. Fortunately, no one came to Kryalchek's assistance when the ritual began to fail in favor of the bond with Misters Reed and Tucker."

"You helped him take Chancel from the _Enterprise_." Jon couldn't help pointing out that bit of hypocrisy.

"Yes, I did. If I had not, I fear what my colleague Kryalchek would have done to ensure he gained custody of Chancel. It is not an excuse, just an explanation." Tianara led the three of them through the corridors of the _Helletsina_. Jon noticed that while he had put his phase pistol away in the name of diplomacy, neither Alan nor Malcolm had. Malcolm's wasn't raised in firing position, but it wouldn't take long for it to be. Malcolm clearly planned to drop the Morganian doctor if she didn't give him back his son.

Tianara opened a set of doors and the ship's medical bay came into view. On one of the biobeds lay Chancel, curled up under a gray blanket. Kryalchek lay on another. Jon barely paid attention to the Morganian doctor, instead focusing on Malcolm. The younger man had shoved past Tianara and gone to Chancel's side, stroking back his son's dark hair and murmuring softly to him. After a moment, Chancel stirred, his eyes opening. Once he saw Malcolm, he cried out and sat up to throw himself at his father, wrapping his arms around Malcolm's neck and burying his face against him. Malcolm closed his arms tightly around Chancel. "I'm not letting you go," he whispered, apparently in response to something Chancel had said. "Never letting you go, Chancel-myeth."

"What happened to him?" Alan asked Tianara, gesturing to Kryalchek.

"The try'al'aeth is not easy and not for those who are unprepared for failure. He will recover. Eventually." Tianara sounded unconcerned. "He will not try this again." 

"If he does, I can't guarantee we won't take extreme action," Jon replied, looking at her.

Tianara looked at him, frowning. Her stripe which ran from forehead to nose was a very pale gray, which, from what he'd read of Morganians, meant that she was distressed. She looked away, then turned to him, pulling something out of her tunic pocket and pressing it into Jon's free hand. He looked down to find two brown pouches similar to the ones that Chancel and Merisel carried. "Here. Family pouches for Reed and Tucker. The children will know how to put the lines into the pouches. It will let any Morganian know that Tucker and Reed are Chancel and Merisel's parents. They might even be able to exchange lines in marriage, if the children can walk them through it."

Jon glanced back at Malcolm, who still had his son in his arms, still whispering into his ear. "Why would you do this?"

"This is the only way I can atone for the fact that I did assist in taking Chancel from his fathers. Despite being Morganian, I understand that sometimes, our children are better if not raised on our planet or in our colony worlds. Being raised with parents who love them and care for them, well, that is more precious than mere family lines or blood lines." She gave him a small smile. "Being raised in the family foster system on Morgania gives one a different perspective than most."

Jon nodded. A noise made him turn to see Malcolm walking toward the others, but even now, he still had his phase pistol in his free hand, ready to fight to take Chancel back.

"Trip is waiting for us," Malcolm said with a soft smile at Chancel. He never looked at the other doctor.

"I will take you back to your ship now," Tianara said. Malcolm gave her a look, but said nothing. Jon gestured for Alan to follow Tianara, then he followed Malcolm, sandwiching Chancel between them. The trip back to their shuttlecraft was uneventful, although Jon could tell the Morganian guards were not happy that Alan insisted on inspecting the shuttle craft for tampering prior to allowing Jon, Malcolm, or Chancel on board. 

"Mister Reed," Tianara said. "I am truly sorry. May I at least offer a recommendation for Chancel's care?"

Malcolm looked down at Chancel, then back at Tianara. Though he said nothing, the woman continued. "The lines will be slightly weaker, even though the try'al'aeth was unsuccessful. Regifting of the lines will help him, help all of you, to recover faster."

"Thank you," Malcolm said, his voice still cold but not as harsh as before. He settled on the back bench with Chancel in his lap. Jon shut and secured the shuttlepod door as Alan prepped for launch.

Jon settled next to Malcolm. "How is he?"

"Shaken, but he seems unharmed. I'd prefer to have Kerth look him over to make sure."

"Of course." Jon reached out and took Malcolm's phase pistol, slipping it into his own holster before placing his on the bench seat away from Chancel, but in easy reach. Malcolm brought his now free hand up to stroke through Chancel's hair. "Won't be long until we're back on board, and then we'll set a course back to Mariki."

"Thank you, Captain," Malcolm said softly. "For helping us rescuing Chancel."

Jon smiled. "You and Trip are still part of the ship's family, Malcolm. I'd do the same for any one of them."

"Thank you." Malcolm turned his attention back to Chancel, and Jon moved to one of the secondary consoles to assist in the docking process.

* * *

T'Pol turned at the sight of something moving in her peripheral vision. Trip Tucker had slumped in the science station chair and was slightly shaking. "Commander?" she asked, his old rank coming out from habit, and from a reluctance to use his nickname. Ensigns Sato and Mayweather had turned at her question, the young woman frowning with concern.

Trip looked up at her, and a smile was on his face. "Mal's got him. He's got our son."

"Oh thank god," Sato said, relief in her voice. 

"They're bringing him home?" Mayweather asked.

"Yeah, they're on their way back to the shuttle now." Trip ran a hand over his face. "He'll be back on the _Enterprise_ as fast as Alan can fly the pod."

"Perhaps you would like to wait for them in the shuttle bay?" T'Pol suggested.

Trip shook his head. "I'll wait in Sickbay with Meri. Malcolm wants Kerth to look Chancel over anyway. Just to be on the safe side."

T'Pol nodded. "That would be a wise course of action."

Chuckling, Trip stood. The weariness and fear that he had been radiating over the past few days had given way to a weariness heavily tinged with relief. "If you don't mind me leaving?" he asked T'Pol.

"Permission granted," she replied. Trip chuckled at that and headed for the turbo lift. Once the doors had shut behind him, T'Pol turned back to Ensign Mayweather. "Ensign, plot a course to the planet Mariki from this location. I anticipate Captain Archer wanting to continue our previous course once he is back on board."

"Aye, sir," the Boomer replied. T'Pol went back to contemplating the _Helletsina_. It didn't appear that potentially lethal force would be necessary, a fact for which she was very grateful.

The report to the Vulcan High Command in that instance would have been very long and tedious, even for a Vulcan.

* * *

//We're in Sickbay waiting for you,// Trip sent to Malcom when he felt his lover arrive back on the _Enterprise_ with their son. //Kerth's ready for him. And Merisel is more than ready to see her brother again.//

Malcolm smiled and kissed the top of Chancel's head. //We are on our way as soon as possible, love. Depends on if we need decon, though I don't think we should.//

//Phlox doesn't think so, considering the Morganians had been our on our ship with no issues and no need for decon. So just come on up here. I need to hold our son too!//

Chuckling, Malcolm headed for the turbolift. Archer followed him, with Alan still in the pod, finishing up what he needed to do to set it to rights. Once in the turbolift, Jon smiled at father and son. "I'm glad we were able to get him back," he said again. "I think we would have chased them to Morgania and back to make sure they didn't keep your son."

"I knew you'd come for me," Chancel said softly into Malcolm's neck. "I knew it. I told Kryalchek you would. He didn't listen."

"More to his fault, Chancel. You know Daddy and I would never leave you in the hands of anyone that we didn't approve of, and we very definitely did not approve of Kryalchek taking you."

Chancel hugged his father closer. "I know. I'm glad you came, though." He turned and looked at Archer. "Thank you for helping them."

Jon smiled at Chancel. "You're welcome. As I told your father, I wasn't letting someone take a member of my ship's family from us, and you and your sister are definitely part of our ship's family."

The doors opened before Chancel could reply, and they made their way to Sickbay. Trip and Merisel were waiting outside the frosted glass doors, and Merisel gave a small cry when she saw her brother, reaching out for him. Trip hurried forward, and the family was in a tight hug, holding all of them in an embrace, before anyone could say anything about taking Chancel into Sickbay. 

Jon moved around the family and slipped into Sickbay, smiling at the two Denobulan doctors who stood waiting. "They're outside, hugging. It might be a while. They didn't look like they were ready to let go any time soon."

Kerth smiled back at him. "That does not surprise me. They are a very close family. I doubt that Tucker and Reed will let Chancel and Merisel out of their sight for very long for a long time."

"Well, fortunately, they live on a ship at the moment, much easier to track them down in a closed environment," Jon offered.

"Oh, you'd be surprised where those two children can hide on a cargo ship, captain. Especially with cargo crates making a great place for what Tucker and Reed call 'hide and seek'."

Laughing, Jon nodded. "I stand corrected."

The doors slid open behind them, admitting the family. Trip now held Chancel tightly in his arms, a small smile on his face as he looked down at his son. Malcolm held Merisel, who was watching Trip and Chancel. Malcolm smiled at Kerth when he saw her. "Kerth, would you and Doctor Phlox mind checking over Chancel to ensure he's all right? It's not that I don't trust Tianara when she said he was fine..."

"But you don't trust Tianara-meranith to say he was fine," Merisel finished, a bright grin on her face as she looked at her father. Malcolm chuckled and nodded at her. Clearly, she'd heard that expression from him often.

"We would be honored to, Reed," Kerth said. Trip carried Chancel over to a biobed and set him down on it. Chancel's eyes never left his parents, who stayed close enough for reassurance, but far enough away to not interfere with the doctors.

Jon came to stand next to them. "Trip, Malcolm," he said softly. "Tianara gave me something before we left the ship. I think it was her way of trying to atone for what was done to your family, and her part in it."

"Not sure there's a lot that could account for that," Trip said. "We trusted her with our son's life, and she took him from us."

"She wasn't involved in trying to take him from the take his lines from us, though," Malcolm said. "That was only Kryalchek who was involved in the try'al'aeth." He looked over at Jon. Merisel looked at him curiously as well.

"She gave me these," Jon pulled out the two family pouches that the Morganian doctor had given him. He passed them to Trip. Merisel immediately reached out from Malcolm's arms and touched them.

"Family pouches. They're empty. My Morganian Arith said these are the kind that they give to new babies, to put their family lines into when they are born. Why did she give them to you?"

"She said they were family pouches for your fathers, and that you and Chancel should be able to help them fill them with the lines so that your parents had their own, and would be known as your parents, and you and Chancel as their children. She also said that if you and Chancel knew how, you could help your fathers record their marriage in there as well." Jon told her, while looking at Trip and Malcolm.

"Huh. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all." Trip didn't look convinced. 

"Our own pouches, hm?" Malcolm asked. He looked down at Merisel. "Can you help us with that?"

Merisel nodded. "Chancel and I can."

Trip tucked the pouches away in his pocket. "Thanks, Cap'n." Trip slipped his arm around Malcolm's shoulder, looking at where Phlox and Kerth were conferring over Chancel. Malcolm rested his head against Trip, pulling Merisel in a little closer.

Five minutes later, Kerth came over to the family. "Chancel is in good health; he suffered no undue physical stress or injuries during the incident, but I think he'll need some emotional care from his family. He's worried about losing you again. We recommend taking him home to the _Kraynita_ and reassuring him that he'll be fine."

"Thanks, Kerth, I believe we will do just that." Trip moved forward and picked up Chancel from the biobed. "Ready to go home, kiddo?"

"Yes!" Chancel declared, holding onto Trip. He turned head. "Thank you Kerth, Doctor Phlox."

"You are most welcome, young Chancel," Phlox replied.

"Captain, if you don't mind?" Malcolm asked. Not that he needed Jon's permission to leave, but Jon knew that he was being courteous. 

"Not a problem. Go be with your family, you two," he said.

The family left Sickbay and Kerth sighed. "I fear we will lose them to Starfleet now. Tucker and Reed will do anything to keep their family safe, and I fear they may not feel staying in space is safe anymore."

"They will face different challenges if they are on Earth," Phlox pointed out. "Being an alien among humans is just as difficult as being a human among aliens. Perhaps more so because it is the human's home planet."

"They'll have the support of their families, though, and that means a lot for anyone," Jon couldn't help point out. "Speaking of which, I think I should contact Starfleet and let them know that we have recovered Chancel. I think there are some grandparents and aunts that would be relieved to hear this."

"I imagine so," Kerth said with a smile. "I know Terisan and Waslia and the others will be relieved as well."

Jon nodded at the two doctors and left for the bridge, glad to be able to deliver good news for once.

* * *

//I can't go through this again, Malcolm,// Trip said as they lay in their bed, the children between them. //I don't think you can either.//

//No, I definitely can't,// his husband replied. //This nearly killed me, losing our son to an unstable Morganian who would have taken him from us as completely as possible.// 

//Then we're agreed?// Trip asked, looking down as Chancel made a noise in his sleep. He shifted, inching closer to Malcolm and sighing before falling deeper into sleep. Trip couldn't help but smile. For all that both children loved both their parents dearly, they clearly had some favoritism toward the parent that had adopted them first. Merisel was currently clinging to Trip in her sleep, the worry that had been on her face the last few days slowly disappearing.

//To go back to Starfleet and Earth? I think it's the only thing we can do. Out here, in space, whether on the _Enterprise_ or the _Kraynita_ , some idiot Morganian might take offense at us being the parents of our children and will try to take them from us again. I can't imagine us going through the try'al'aeth a second time, and I _won't_ put my children through again if I can stop it.//

//I agree. Then I guess, Lieutenant Commander Reed, we're selling ourselves back to Starfleet.//

Malcolm chuckled. //I guess we are. But at least we will have our children with us. And that, my love, is all that counts.//

Trip reached out and twined his fingers with Malcolm's where they lay on the covers between their children. //That will we, darling, and that is what counts. Well,// he added with a grin. //That and large warp 7 engines and exploding torpedoes.//

//Those definitely rank high on the list,// Malcolm agreed. //Tianara suggested something to me when I was on their ship,// he said abruptly.

Trip frowned. //What was that?//

//That the try'al'aeth, though it did not take our bonds with Chancel away, it might have weakened them, and that we should have him re-gift us the lines to ensure there is a healing. I wonder if that's why she gave those family pouches to Captain Archer, to ensure we could strengthen the bonds.//

//Possible,// Trip said. //Merisel said they were empty. Guess I never really thought about how the lines got in there in the first place. Gifting of the lines must be something instinctive to Morganians, since Merisel knew how to get yours into her pouch and Chancel knew how to get both of ours into his, but can they really give us a pouch?//

//Will it act for us like Morganians? Would we be able to feel how Chancel and Merisel are feeling?// Malcolm asked. //I realize it wouldn't be much different than what we feel with each other, but... it would still be different.//

//Would it be a bad thing?// Trip mused. //Then we could have known ourselves that Chancel was okay, instead of having to rely on Merisel.//

//True. I just wish we knew more about Morganian lines, but I am not about to ask any Morganian for assistance for a long time. If ever,// Malcolm practically growled.

//I know, Mal. I'm not either. So I guess we'll just have to muddle through, like we always have and like human parents have been for millennia.//

//All this technology, and we still have to do some things the old fashioned way,// Malcolm chucked.

//It's worth it, though.//

//Indeed it is.//

* * *

"They were able to get their son back?" Admiral Forrest asked.

"Yes, without incident, although the psychic toll that trying to remove the lines that are the Morganian family bonds was enough that they are all on rest until Doctors Phlox and Kerth are satisfied they are healed," Jon replied. "But as I said, we did not need to fire any weapons and they returned Chancel Reed-Tucker without hesitation."

"I suppose there are some small mercies, then," Forrest sighed. "Have they told you of their decision yet?"

"No, and I haven't asked."

"Of course not, they were too focused on their son." Forrest paused. "Jon, the Admiralty has given orders. If they do sign up with Starfleet again, we will recall the _Enterprise_ to Earth to bring them home. Quite frankly, I don't think Commander Tucker or Lieutenant Reed would trust any other Starfleet ship at the moment, and it will give Starfleet time to make repairs to the _Enterprise_ and restock your supplies for a longer mission than you had actually intended. Shore leave will be authorized for your crew as well, since they'll be here."

"That's good to hear, Admiral. I'm sure they will appreciate it. But we have promised to deliver the _Kraynita_ to Mariki no matter what Commander Tucker and Lieutenant Reed decide. We cannot back out of that commitment."

"Of course not. We want to keep good relations with the Horatians. Once you have delivered the _Kraynita_ to Mariki, if Commander Tucker and Lieutenant Reed have decided to return to Starfleet, then you will set course for Earth." 

"Understood, Admiral. And thank you. Archer out." He cut the connection and stared at the screen. "I wonder what made them change their minds," he mused aloud to Porthos. "They were pretty adamant. Either both the Tuckers and the Reeds shamed them, or something else happened. Something that Admiral Forrest wasn't willing to discuss on the communication link?"

Porthos tilted his head at Jon. Jon sighed. "You're right, we won't know until we get back to Earth. Assuming we do. Trip and Malcolm could choose to stay with their friends, their family, on the _Kraynita_." He got up and moved to the window. "Either way, we're losing them, Porthos."

The beagle whined sympathetically. Jon turned and picked him up, petting him. "At least I still have you, huh, boy?"

Porthos barked in enthusiastic agreement.

* * *

The entire crew of the _Kraynita_ was in the galley when Trip, Malcolm, Merisel and Chancel entered. Selika spotted them first and smiled widely. "Reed! Tucker! Kerth told us the good news." She reached out and ruffled Chancel's hair. "It is good to have you home again, little one."

"Thank you," Chancel said shyly. He kept close to Malcolm, who lifted him into his spot at the table. Trip lifted Merisel and then the two of them sat down, flanking their children.

Waslia came over with the meal, serving it out before sitting down. Malcolm and Trip began filling the kids' plates. "So," Waslia asked as she passed around the dishes. "Have you made a decision on staying or going?"

"Waslia!" Terisan exclaimed. "They just got back, let them have a chance to catch their breath!"

"Besides, I know they will let us know as soon as they have made a decision, but things have been a little rough lately," Gerandik said.

"Understatement," Wessic muttered.

"Decision?" Chancel asked, looking up at Trip.

Malcolm swallowed his drink. "We've been offered a place back in Starfleet, so we would be living on Earth if we accepted it, Chancel-myeth."

"Doing what?" Terisan asked. "Because if they're not valuing your expertise, it's probably not worth it. And I don't trust them to value you," he added at Waslia's glare. "They let them go once, and I'm going to be stingy about letting them go from here for less than what they are worth."

//Should we tell them about the offer?// Malcolm asked.

//Would give us an outside perspective on it,// Trip replied. //Would be worth it to see if Terisan thinks it's worth us. Nice to have a captain who is worried about us in that manner.// Jon's attitude at the time they'd left the _Enterprise_ still rankled a bit, even if he'd been making up for it since then. Trip knew they'd have to have it out at some point, but wasn't sure when or if that would happen. 

"Well, for a start," Malcolm was saying, "we would not be assigned to a ship, but rather to planet based positions, and not in Starfleet Medical either."

"Nope. We'd both be working on the newest ship that Starfleet is building, taking what we've learned from being out here and adapting it to make her better prepared, especially in the weaponry division."

"Let me guess, Reed would be working on that aspect?" Wessic asked with a smile.

"I would," Malcolm replied. "And once the ship was finished I'd be transferred to the Research and Development Division for developing new weapons."

"I'd be working on the new ship's engines, and then transfer to Research and Development to make upgrades to the engines."

"Daddy might make the first warp 10 engine!" Merisel piped up, making everyone laugh.

"We need to get to 6 and 7 first, baby girl," Trip said. "But it's always a possibility. Or maybe you or Chancel will, if you want to be engineers."

Merisel looked thoughtful at that. Chancel wrinkled his nose. "I'm going to be a pilot!" he stated.

"Nothing wrong with being a pilot," Selika said with a grin. "It's the best job on the ship!"

"Except for engineering! Who do you think keeps the ship running for you to fly?" Trip teased her.

"Waslia is the most important person," Merisel said. "She cooks." She nodded her head, getting a laugh from the entire table. Malcolm ruffled Merisel's hair.

"You tell 'em, Meri," Waslia said with a grin. "I'd like to see these guys try to cook."

"Please, not Selika. She burns everything," Gerandik said with a smile at his wife.

Selika shrugged. "It's a gift."

The table fell silent for a time, all of them eating. Finally, Terisan broke the silence. "Would they take you back at your ranks that you held? I'd hate to see you go back and be demoted for refusing to be lab rats and separated."

"They'd take Tucker back at his rank of Commander." Malcolm smiled at Trip.

"Yeah, but they'd be promoting you for everything you did when you were on _Enterprise_ , so he'd be Lieutenant Commander Reed."

"Well, at least that would be good." Terisan frowned thoughtfully. "What about your younglings?"

"We'd be stationed in San Francisco, with a possible commute to the shipyards, so we could have the kids living with us, in school or home schooled if needed. Depends on what they want and what we want. And our respective families would be fairly close by to ensure they were being properly spoiled."

"Sounds like we're losing you, then," Terisan said with a frown. "Why do I always lose my engineers before the end of the run?"

Waslia patted him on the head. "At least we're losing these to a better opportunity and for family reasons, not because they were bored and wanted pretty unmarried females around, Terisan."

Malcolm wrinkled his nose. "Bored, never. And the females here are pretty, if married, but frankly, I prefer my husband. No offense, ladies."

"None taken," Selika said. "We like your husband too," she added with a wink.

"Great minds think alike, huh?" asked Trip.

"No that's the two of you," Wessic said, gesturing to Trip and Malcolm with his knife. "I'm not wrong."

The entire group laughed. "No, he isn't wrong," Terisan said.

//I am going to miss them, // Malcolm sent to Trip wistfully.

//As am I, Mal.//

* * *

The _Enterprise_ had set course back to Mariki as soon as Archer gave T'Pol the word. Hopefully, barring an unforeseen incident, they would be there in a week. Jon wandered the halls of the ship, wondering if he would be saying goodbye to Trip and Malcolm for the last time once they'd arrived at the commerce planet, or if they would be bidding farewell to the remaining crew of the _Kraynita_ and taking Malcolm and Trip back to earth. Frankly, Jon wasn't sure what he wanted that outcome to be.

Passing by one of the observation lounges, Jon stopped and backtracked. Trip stood in the room, in his civilian clothing, hand on the window, watching the stars streak by. Jon hesitated, not wanting to interrupt, but wondering why Trip was here, not with his family.

"Come on in, Cap'n," Trip said, not turning around.

"I didn't want to disturb you," Jon said, entering the room. He shut the door behind them. "Just wasn't expecting to see you here."

"I know. Malcolm's with the kids. I just couldn't sleep anymore. Too restless." He hadn't turned around, but Jon could tell that Trip was watching him through the reflection in the window. "Too much going on at the moment for me to settle down. Getting Chancel back, the offer from Starfleet, everything."

"I'd heard from Admiral Forrest that they'd made you an offer, though he didn't tell me what it was." Jon offered that as an opening gambit, hoping Trip would tell him. Trip had been one of his best friends, before all this. 

"Stationed back on Earth, not at Starfleet Medical. That would have been a deal breaker, and he knew it." Trip turned around, and Jon noticed his Il'endi lifemate necklace was prominent in a way it hadn't been in the past few days, sliding under his shirt when he was busy with his kids or the _Kraynita_. "We'd both be assigned to working on the NX-02, getting her ready for launch. Considering we have the most experience with the problems this class of starship is likely to encounter as it travels in space, they feel that having us working on the engines and the weapons systems is a bonus to her future crew. Malcolm definitely doesn't want to let that crew out launch without working weaponry and then having to build phase cannons from scratch the way we did."

"We got it done, though."

"But we shouldn't have had to, and we all know it, Jon. We got tossed into the deep end because of Klaang and then Starfleet figured since we were out here, we'd stay. They really didn't think about all the things that we didn't have that we needed out here. And that's a problem that Malcolm and I can solve."

Jon moved to stand near Trip. "And after her launch? I don't think you'd be signing on as her Chief Engineer." 

"Research and Development for both of us. I'd be on the Warp 7 project and Malcolm would be on the weapons side of things. New torpedoes, new phase cannons, whatever else his devious brain can come up with." 

"I imagine that's quite a lot."

Trip smiled, a smile that Jon only saw on his face when he was thinking about Malcolm. "Yeah."

"Same ranks?"

"They're promoting Malcolm up a grade. Guess some people might have a problem with us being two ranks apart. Starfleet also wants us to get married again, for the record. Their records, really, because without their 'official' witnesses, people are challenging us being married." Trip rolled his eyes. "Not that I mind re-marrying Malcolm, but I do mind them saying that they're unsure as to whether or not we are."

"Well, if you want to get remarried on the _Enterprise_ , I'd be happy to perform the ceremony." Jon hadn't thought he'd ever perform a wedding on the _Enterprise_ , but Starfleet had authorized its Captains to do so and it would be recognized on Earth. 

Trip didn't answer for a while. Jon frowned, wondering what was going on. Finally, Trip closed his eyes and turned back to the view window. "Not sure we'd do that, to be honest, Cap'n."

Jon jerked his head back as if he'd been slapped. He wasn't sure what to think about that. He'd been Trip and Malcolm's captain, had been trying to get them back to Starfleet... and they didn't want him to perform their second wedding ceremony?

"You know that if I perform it, Starfleet will have to acknowledge it. Harder for them to challenge anything when it's one of their own ship captains performing the wedding."

"We know, Captain. We'd record whatever ceremony we did have, however. Video evidence and statements from the celebrant are considered valid as well."

"So it's just me you don't want performing your wedding, then."

Trip sighed. "Jon-"

Jon interrupted. "How long have we been friends? Do you know how hard I fought for you two to come back to Starfleet, to be able to bring your children on board with you?"

Whirling, Trip took a step toward the captain, his eyes blue eyes blazing. "Yeah, Jon, all of that was done _after_ we'd resigned from _Enterprise_. How hard did you fight for us _before_ then? When Starfleet was shitting bricks over the kt'alini and having Phlox run every test he could short of vivisection to see how the kt'alini worked, and what abilities it gave us besides the telepathic bond and the rapid healing? When they ordered us back to Earth to be assigned to Starfleet Medical as professional test subjects? And then you just let us walk away, didn't even try to find us or talk to us. All you did was tell Travis that you'd gotten our recommendations. As far as Malcolm and I were concerned, Jon, you'd abandoned us since we'd gotten back on the ship form Il'endi once you learned about the kt'alini."

"I had no idea what had really been done to you on that planet, Trip! For all I knew, you and Malcolm had actually died and been replaced by some form of sophisticated clones or were being mind-controlled by the kt'alini or by each other! Not to mention the fact that it seemed like you were barely human anymore with the changes being made on the DNA level to the two of you from having the kt'alini in you. And neither of you seemed inclined to share any information! I didn't even find out that my best friend had gotten married until after you had left _Enterprise_ for good!"

"So that justified treating us like pariahs? Like we weren't human? Like you weren't happy to have us back on _Enterprise_? God damn it, Jonathan Archer, I left because it seemed like you would have _preferred_ finding my cold decaying corpse buried in the Il'endi resting grounds to finding me alive and well on the planet. Even if I hadn't been married to Malcolm, we would have been bonded. Saving our lives was the only thing the Il'endi were trying to do when they gave me and Malcolm the kt'alini. They weren't looking to take over _Enterprise_ through us."

"But how could I have known that, Trip?"

"You ate dinner with them every night for weeks! Did they even look like they wanted to take over? Hell, Jon, if they'd wanted to take over, they would have implanted others with kt'alini, they could have justified it any time someone got hurt. But they didn't." Trip ran a hand through his hair. "You never asked, either. You just pretended everything was fine for the crew's sake and ignored me and Malcolm in private. So, yes, you are the captain of this god damned starship but frankly I'd rather have a friend and someone who had my back perform my wedding than someone I'm not sure I can fully trust ever again."

Jon blinked at Trip. "I never knew you felt that way."

"When would I have had time to tell you? I was trying not to rock the boat while you and Starfleet figured out that we were harmless. And then when you got your heads stuck in your asses, there wasn't a point. Malcolm and I only had so much time to leave _Enterprise_ before the _T'Shiel_ docked and took us back to Earth. We couldn't risk telling you anything in person, and this is the kind of thing that I could only say in person."

Jon was silent for a long moment, thinking it over. Trying to get Trip and Malcolm back into Starfleet, trying to get the admiralty to rescind that ridiculous order; that had been his way of making up for what he had inadvertently done by treating the two men as less than human. And he knew he had never said he was sorry to the two men, never explained his actions. He'd thought they had forgiven him when nothing had been said, but instead it had just been festering. Probably more so for Trip than Malcolm, considering how long the two of them had known each other. He'd been Malcolm's captain, but he'd been Trip's friend ever since the two of them, along with A.G. Robinson, had stolen the test capsule of the warp engine and proved that Henry Archer's design could succeed, despite the Vulcans.

"I don't know what to say, Trip."

"Hearing why you decided I wasn't worth your time might be a good start. All Malcolm and I could think of was you and the _Enterprise_ coming to get us. We would have lived out our days on Il'endi if we'd had to, but we really would have preferred staying on _Enterprise_ with our friends. And then we got back, and it was like the captain had been replaced by a pod person. But I guess you were wondering the same about us."

"Pod people hadn't crossed my mind, actually," Jon admitted. "But having that kt'alini 'stowaway' gave me a lot of pause, I can't deny that. And I guess it made me uncomfortable, knowing you and Malcolm had that bonding, that avenue of communication that no one else on this ship could hear or see. Sitting on the bridge with Malcolm on my right, knowing that as he looked at his console, he could either be considering the adjustments to the deflector dish that needed to be made during flight, or he could have been sending you naughty limericks while you were working, or discussing the bridge crew where we couldn't hear it, it frankly scared me. Because if T'Pol hadn't said anything, then I don't know if you ever would have told me, and yes, that scared me and made me angry, that you would have kept that from me."

"We didn't know how anyone would react. We said we'd never lie about what was done to us, but we weren't going to just share information at the drop of a communicator. If Phlox had asked 'what else can these kt'alini do' then we would have told him everything - the healing, the mind joining. If there's anything else to the joining with the kt'alini, it's never been told to us and we've never encountered it before. Not even all these months later have we figured out anything different from what we've always known." Trip shrugged. "We are who we've always been, Jon. And to be honest, Malcolm was usually cussing me out for my choice in mental musical entertainment. He never does like the songs that get stuck in my head and get past the barriers he puts up."

"Malcolm puts up barriers?" That was news to Jon.

"We both do, always have. It's the only way to function. Trust me, we went through days of hearing every single thought each other had back when we first woke up after the crash, after having the kt'alini implanted, and that was not something I would ever care to go through again, yet I can't deny that maybe it was a good thing. Malcolm and I understood each other a whole lot better after those few days. And we didn't kill each other, so that was a good sign for our future ability to work together on the _Enterprise_." At Jon's look, Trip shrugged again. "Marriage was a long way from our minds at that time in our isolation. We were just trying to learn to live together and figure out what the hell we were doing, trapped in each other's heads."

This was fascinating, but not really getting to the heart of what Trip was so mad about, Jon knew. "If I hadn't asked, if Phlox hadn't asked, if T'Pol hadn't told me, would you or Malcolm have ever told me, told us, what else the kt'alini could do for you, the mental telepathy you shared, and your marriage that grew from that? Would that have ever been brought out?"

"I wish I could tell you that yes, absolutely, it would have been brought out, Jon, but I can't. I'd like to think we would have told you in time, but then again, it might not have come out until we were in a spot when it was needed. We didn't plan on lying about it, but like the kt'alini themselves, we didn't we weren't going to offer up the information. We wanted to come back home, Jon, and the _Enterprise_ was, hell _is_ , our home. Stupid of us, yes, but we didn't want to risk losing that home before we ever got back to it by telling you on the planet. I know I couldn't take watching you leave me behind down there."

"You honestly think that I would have abandoned you on that planet just because of the kt'alini?"

"I didn't know, and that scared me, scared us. You had to tell Starfleet, and if they ordered you too, or threatened to take your ship if you didn't, yeah, you could have, Jon."

"Stop it." Malcolm's voice cut through the silence that fell after Trip's last statement. "Just. Stop." He sighed. "This isn't helping anything."

"Malcolm," Trip said, turning to his husband.

"I know, love, you feel betrayed by Jon's inaction before we left. I do as well. But Jon does have a point about feeling betrayed by us not telling him, and we knew that." Malcolm crossed the room to stand in front of Trip, and they rested their foreheads together. "We have to let go of the past at some point, Trip, or we'll never be able to move forward on Earth."

Trip sighed. "I know, Malcolm. I know."

"For what it's worth," Jon said. "I am sorry for how I treated you, Trip, Malcolm. I guess it goes to show that no matter how advanced of a society we think we are, we still have prejudices that will interfere."

"And fears," Trip said, looking at Jon now. "I'm sorry, Jon." He stepped away from Malcolm and held out his hand.

"I'm sorry too, Trip." Jon shook his hand then pulled his best friend into a hug. "I'm going to miss you if you go back to Earth. Or even back to the _Kraynita_."

"I'll miss you, too, Jon."

He pulled back and let Malcolm come forward. "I'm sorry, Malcolm."

"Honestly, I'm not sure I would have been any different in your stead, captain," Malcolm said with a forgiving small smile. "But I am sorry we didn't tell you up front." He held out his hand and Jon shook it.

"We are going back to Earth, Jon. We decided that a few hours ago, just haven't told Starfleet yet. Figured we can let them stew for another few days."

"Well, they've already informed me that if you do accept it, the _Enterprise_ will be your ride back to Earth, after we drop the _Kraynita_ off at Mariki. I think the admiralty is afraid of sending another ship for you, in case you decide their motives are still suspect."

"They're the admiralty, their motives are always suspect, but that is a thoughtful gesture of them. It will give the crew time to see family as well." Malcolm smiled. "And we can make sure _Enterprise_ is properly outfitted before you leave again."

Jon chuckled. "That's the idea." He glanced at the chronometer on the wall. "I'd better get out of here and get some sleep before my next shift starts."

"Goodnight, Jon," Trip said with a genuine smile.

"Goodnight, captain," Malcolm added.

"Goodnight, gentlemen," Jon said as he left. He looked back after he crossed the threshold and saw that Malcolm and Trip were back in each other's arms again. He smiled as he hit the controls to close the door. No one else needed to see that.

* * *

//We should probably tell the children first, so they have time to adjust to the idea. I'd like to make sure we can keep up their education program while on _Enterprise_ , since it will take us a few months to get back to Earth. I don't think the captain will be pushing the engine to Warp 5 to get us home.//

Trip smiled. //No, but he might to give his crew some shore leave.// 

//True, but still, that will be more than a month of travel.// He paused. //What are we going to do with ourselves until then?//

//What do you mean?//

//We resigned our positions on _Enterprise_. Even if we're back in Starfleet... assuming they reactivate our commissions before we get back to Earth, what will we do on _Enterprise_? I can't see you being happy sitting around doing nothing, and I know I won't be. Plus there's the issue of quarters for us and for the children.//

//And I'm betting Command has some ideas on all that, or we'll ask them when we talk to them. Our old quarters may still be open, we could trade one of those to someone close to the other room, and then adapt the two sets into rooms for us and the kids. Be pretty easy to turn the tchotchke shelf above the bed into a second bed for the kids. You and I would be a bit different.//

//Yes, we'd need something a little larger than a twin size single person bunk bed. Those are a little too... cuddly.//

Trip nuzzled his husband. //True. And if we are earning our keep on the _Enterprise_ , who is going to keep an eye on the children?//

//No idea. I hate to impose on anyone for that long, but I also loathe the idea of split shifts such that the kids are taken care of but we never see each other.//

//Guess that's more things to add to the list of stuff to discuss with Starfleet. But I think we definitely need to discuss what kind of house we want on Earth, so my mother or your sister can start looking for places for us to live before we get there.//

Malcolm leaned up to kiss his husband. //Perhaps that's best done back on the _Kraynita_?//

//Lead the way, darling.//

* * *

The children had taken to the idea of moving to Earth surprising well, considering Merisel had only ever lived on ships her entire life, and Chancel's last stay planet side had not been fun for him. But the only question Chancel had asked was if the Morganians would be able to take him from his family if he lived on Earth. Once he'd been reassured, then he'd been fine with it, as had Merisel.

Terisan had been entirely unsurprised by their decision when they formally let him know, but he had pretty much expected it from their discussion in the galley the other night. He merely wished them luck, and then warned them that Waslia would be cooking them a special goodbye dinner, but don't tell her he said that.

Now they sat in front of their communication panel in their quarters, waiting for Gerandik and Hoshi to establish the connection to Starfleet Command. //You know, Trip, the captain was right about one thing the other night.//

//What's that?//

//If he performs the marriage ceremony, when we get remarried to appease the sticklers at Starfleet, then they won't have any grounds to challenge it anymore. Their own captain performed it and their officers witnessed it.//

//I know. I just hate that they are pushing us into it. I know I married you.// He picked up Malcolm's right wrist and kissed the three scars that would never heal, the scars from their Il'endi marriage ceremony. //By choice and by blood and by bonding, I took thee as my lifemate, joined together unto death.//

//Sap,// Malcolm accused fondly. //But I too, took thee as my lifemate, by choice and by blood and by bonding, joined together unto death.//

Trip kissed his husband, feeling the smile on Malcolm's lips. //I still say we should retire to Il'endi, you know.//

//After our children are grown, of course.//

//Of course. Grown and possibly with children of their own.//

//I am not ready to think about Merisel or Chancel's children.//

//Me either.//

"We have the connection to Admiral Forrest. Shall I put it through?" Gerandik's voice came through the communication panel and they moved apart reluctantly.

"Please, Gerandik," Malcolm asked, sitting up straighter. Trip followed suit. The screen lit up with the Starfleet logo and then dissolved into Admiral Forrest. "Admiral," Malcolm said.

"Mister Reed, Mister Tucker. What can I do for you today?"

"We wanted to let you know that we have reached a decision on Starfleet's offer, sir," Trip said.

Forrest nodded. "And that decision is?"

"We accept, sir," Malcolm replied. "But we do have some questions regarding our status prior to returning to Earth."

"Let me guess, will you be back on _Enterprise_ as crewmembers and if so, what about your children?"

"That would be it, sir." Trip tried not to look surprised.

"We did think about that before ordering the _Enterprise_ to transport you back to Earth, gentleman. You would be working, but not on full time shifts, in order to assist in getting Lieutenant Hess and Ensign Meyer up to your levels of competence, with an eye toward evaluating them for full, not just field, promotions to those positions, with the accompanying rank promotion. That would allow for more flexibility in your schedules for child care. And as much as I would like to have you two as Chief Engineer and Chief Armory officer again, at least for the duration, I don't feel that is fair to those who have served well in those positions for the past year, and especially given that it would only be for a few months."

"Understandable, sir, and we were not trying to stage a coup to regain the positions. However, neither did we want to feel like dead weight on the ship," Malcolm added with a smile. "We're used to having to work for our keep."

"Good, because I'm pretty sure you will be working for it this time. As for the children, Jonathan has already mentioned that there is an observation lounge on C deck that can be adapted into a school room for them."

"It's the quarters issue as well, Admiral. We'd like to ensure they are either right next door or right across the corridor from us. After this last incident with the Morganians, well, we both know we're likely to have children crawling into bed with us after nightmares, and I think you can understand, sir, not wanting to make them travel several decks to get to their parents."

"No, I can understand why you wouldn't want that. And I do understand that you will need a larger bed just for that purpose alone. I just don't know what else can be done. The NX class ships weren't designed with families in mind. Although I'm sure you made do previously--"

"We didn't have two children previously, and a twin bunk is very close quarters for one, much less two people and when you add in two more, well, someone is sleeping on the floor." Malcolm winced at interrupting a superior officer.

//Well, maybe that's it then,// Trip said in surprise. //We slept on the floor on pallets on Il'endi, we can make something similar to that, take the bed out of one room to make the second bed for the kids.//

Malcolm looked at Trip and blinked. //Good point. I hadn't even thought of that.//

"I'm going to presume the two of you were speaking along your kt'alini telepathic bond?" Forrest asked with a hint of amusement. "I can see why Jonathan has said that was a very strange sight to see. But perhaps Commander Tucker had a revelation he'd care to share?"

Trip blushed. "Apologies, Admiral. We'll need to work on that. But I was reminding Lieutenant Commander Reed here that when we lived on Il'endi, our bed was a pallet on the cave floor. We could remove the bed from one set of quarters to make a bunk bed from the shelf in another set, giving the children their room, and then we can make a floor level bed for the two of us that is big enough to accommodate the children, but wouldn't be giving us something that the other crew wouldn't have, as it would be temporary, and probably a lot less comfortable than the standard issue beds."

"And with the _Kraynita_ still on board, we might be able to barter for some of their spare supplies to make up the bed, and once we leave the _Enterprise_ , we can set the two quarters to rights for whoever gets them when the _Enterprise_ ships out again." Malcolm looked thoughtful. "So we wouldn't be depriving anyone currently on _Enterprise_ of their bedding or mattresses."

Forrest nodded. "That's a good idea. Get with Captain Archer and make it happen." He paused. "Have you given any more thought to the remarriage issue?"

"We have, and though we disagree with the need to do it, we are going to go through with it, it's just deciding if we're going to have Captain Archer do it or Captain Gesnick."

"I know I can't order you to do anything, but I know that having Captain Archer perform what is considered to be the standard human ceremony would go a long way to appeasing the sticklers in the Admiralty, and, though I hate to say it, the Vulcans. I don't think I'm giving away secrets that they are still not happy with us over this."

"Not surprising," Trip said. "They seem to think that humans doing anything differently from their guidance is an insult of the highest order."

Forrest smothered a chuckled into a cough. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that, since you aren't officially back in Starfleet yet, Mister Tucker."

"Understood, sir."

"That being said, gentleman, there's nothing saying you couldn't have your _Kraynita_ colleagues present at the ceremony. In fact, I would be surprised if you didn't." He pulled a PADD to him and began tapping something into it. "I'm sending the orders recalling you to active duty and your orders to act as shadows to the current chief engineer and chief armory officer to Captain Archer. He will see to getting the paperwork finished and filed and the two of you back into uniform and your promotion ceremony, Lieutenant Commander Reed. Welcome back, gentleman, and I expect to get video of the wedding and the promotion ceremony," he added with a wink. "Forrest out."

The screen went black before they replied. "Well, hell, we're Starfleet again," Trip said.

"Not until we officially file the paperwork," Malcolm said. "Though, frankly, if we're going to be required get married again, I wouldn't mind doing it in uniform. We do have Starfleet dress uniforms somewhere on board, I think."

"Somewhere," Trip said. "I'm guessing that you want to be promoted first?"

"It would shut up those who are pissy about me being a mere lieutenant."

"I like my mere lieutenant."

"Ah, but being a lieutenant commander would make people not complain as much about it. Even if there are those who will never understand about two men being together."

"They can say what they want, but you are my husband and I am not letting anyone get in the way of that, Malcolm Reed."

"Neither am I, Charles Tucker."

* * *

The week between signing Trip and Malcolm's paperwork and arriving at Mariki was the busiest Jon thought he'd ever seen his ship. Though no one had said anything formal, word had gotten out that Trip and Malcolm were signing back on and would be back in Starfleet. The engineering and armory crews had helped get the quarters rearranged so that the room next to Trip's old quarters, which Hess had never moved into, became Merisel and Chancel's new room. They took the mattress from Trip's room and made for the children in their room. Trip and Malcolm were gifted spare bedding from the _Kraynita_ (they'd tried to barter for it, but apparently the _Kraynita_ 's crew, Waslia Gesnick especially, was having none of that) and turned it into a bed for the two of them on the floor, with the supports of the shelf on either side of the bed. That gave the men more room for not only them, but also their children. Personally, Jon didn't know how they would be able to sleep on the floor, but Malcolm had just shrugged and said they'd done it on Il'endi on a cave floor, this was at least carpeted.

The hardest part was figuring out the two ceremonies. Malcolm didn't want a large promotion ceremony. He was not interested in a "showpiece", as he put it. So two days after they had signed their new commissions and orders, just after the alpha shift had ended, Jon, Trip, Hoshi, Travis, and Alan had shown up in the armory, where Malcolm had been working on inspections to determine what needed to be upgraded and repaired when they arrived on Earth. The alpha and beta shift armory ensigns had been in on the matter as well, keeping Malcolm busy with questions before the captain and the others had arrived. Much to everyone's surprise, T'Pol had arrived a few minutes later, with Kerth, Phlox, and Chancel and Merisel in tow. When asked, she'd merely said that the children should be present.

The promotion ceremony had been short but sweet for everyone involved. Jon had made a small speech about Malcolm's achievements in the phase cannons and in the improvements to the weapons and to the crew as a whole while he'd been a member of _Enterprise_ before he added the third pip to Malcolm's uniform, the darker pip representing lieutenant commander. Then Jon, with Malcolm's help, had field promoted Alan Meyer to Lieutenant based on his work on _Enterprise_ both before and after Malcolm had left. It had been more than time for the man's promotion, but the review by Starfleet had been lacking until now. The formal promotion would come later, but given that everyone he supervised was still of the same rank as Alan, and some were ensigns of longer duration, the promotion was needed. Jon knew that Lieutenant Hess was also being considered for promotion but the Starfleet brass had wanted to wait until she was back on Earth, pending Trip's review of her. Besides, she was the senior engineering lieutenant on the ship so her rank wasn't as much of an issue at the moment.

The wedding had been harder to plan, given Trip and Malcolm's feelings on having another wedding. It had also been easier in a way, since it wasn't a surprise ceremony. 

After a lot of discussion, they held it in the mess hall, during late beta shift, so that the greatest number of people could attend. Trip and Malcolm hadn't wanted anything elaborate, however, just the ceremony. What they didn't know, Jon thought as he stood up at the ceremony area with Captain Gesnick, who was also acting as an officiant, being Trip and Malcolm's former captain, was that Chef had met Waslia Gesnick, and the two of them got along so well that Jon feared the day they would decide to take over his ship. Neither of them could let the wedding go by without a reception, so there would be a wedding supper, and wedding cake. Jon hadn't seen it, but he'd been told it was phenomenal for the short amount of time and the need to conserve resources.

They'd set out chairs like for movie night, and most of them were filled with the _Enterprise_ and _Kraynita_ crews. Trip and Malcolm had decided to forgo having traditional attendants in favor of their children. So Malcolm approached the site from behind a screen on one side of the room with Chancel at his side, and Trip approached from the other side of the room with Merisel at his side. They stopped in front of Jon and Terisan, reaching out to take each other's hands as their children looked on with grins on their faces. Jon wasn't sure he wanted to know where the flowers for Merisel's little bouquet had come from.

"Dearly beloved," Jon began, smiling at his two friends in their dress uniforms. He, too, wore his, though the rest of the guests did not. Captain Gesnick was in formal clothing, as were the two children. "We are gathered here to unite, some would say for the second time, these two men, our friends, in marriage. Marriage is an institution that is rich with tradition on Earth, some of it quite elaborate, and, I might add, quite lengthy for marriage ceremonies. However, I think we will forego some of the traditions suggested by the crew, as I think Starfleet frowns on kidnapping the bride to the wedding." Jon paused. "And I'm not even going to suggest that either of these men are a bride," he added with a shrug, earning a laugh from all present, except T'Pol.

"Trip, Malcolm, do you come here in the presence of your family and friends to join your lives together in marriage?"

"We do," they answered in unison.

"Then as you have chosen to write your own vows, please," he said, gesturing to the two men.

Trip turned to face Malcolm, smiling down at his husband. Trip took a deep breath. "Malcolm, I think if anyone had told me on the day _Enterprise_ left Earth that you and I would end up here, I probably would have sent them for a psych eval." He paused to let the laughter die down. Even Malcolm gave him a smile at that. "But here we are, in front of our captains and our friends and our children, pledging our lives to each other again." He looked down, squeezing Malcolm's hands, then back at his husband. "You kept me going on Il'endi, not only because we were the only two humans there, but because of who you are. You've called me out on my craziness, stood by me at worst, and put up with me bringing home a child you were not expecting, but I knew, the day we stood in front of Jo'eli and Ri'vran and pledged ourselves, that you would be the only person for me, forever." He smiled. "By choice, by blood, and by bonding, I, Charles Anthony Tucker, do take thee, Malcolm Reed, as my lifemate and husband, joined together unto death." He raised Malcolm's right hand and pressed a kiss to their Il'endi bonding scars. Jon noticed that Malcolm had to swallow a few times before he could speak.

"I never expected," Malcolm began slowly, "to find love. Ever, I have to say. I didn't think it would be my fate. And then I set foot on the _Enterprise_ , and met the most exasperatingly unmilitary engineer and superior officer I felt I had ever had the misfortune to meet." He gave him a wry grin. "Little did I know he would become one of my closest friends, and then the man I fell in love with. You kept me from sacrificing myself on the shuttle pod, you kept me sane as well on Il'endi, you merely teased about me bringing home a child, and having had you in my life, I can't imagine a life without you, and our children, in it. You are my heart, Charles Tucker, and you shall have it for all of my days." He lifted Trip's right hand, running a thumb over the bonding scars. "By choice, by blood, and by bonding, I, Malcolm Reed, do take thee, Charles Anthony Tucker, as my lifemate and husband, joined together unto death." He kissed the scars as Trip had, his eyes never leaving Trip's.

Jon looked between them, letting the moment settle. They didn't have rings, and Malcolm and Trip planned to wait until getting to Earth. Which left very little left in the ceremony to do, something he suspected they wanted. He didn't blame them for doing the bare minimum needed to ensure their marriage was 'proper' in the eyes of Starfleet when they'd been married for close to a year now. When Trip glanced at Jon out of the corner of his eye, Jon smiled. "Then by the power invested in me by Starfleet," he said, glancing to his left.

"And the power invested in me by the Horatian Merchant Society," Terisan added.

"We now pronounce you husband and husband. You may seal your new marriage with a kiss," Jon added with a wink.

* * *

Trip turned to his husband and leaned in to kiss him. The assembled crews cheered. 

//I love you.//

//I love you too.//

The wedding march began playing, and Trip shook his head, linking his arm with Malcolm and taking Merisel's hand. Malcolm took Chancel's and they walked down the aisle to where the wedding supper had been set up. 

//Doesn't look like there's a dance floor set up.//

//Good, I'd prefer not to have to dance in front of everyone,// Malcolm said.

//Can't dance?//

//I can, but while I know the wedding is important, I just didn't want all the trappings surrounding it.//

Waslia came over to them, Chef following. "On Horatia, at a wedding, the meals for the couple are made by the parents by hand, and served to the one who isn't related to them. Apparently, we had a nasty habit of poisoning going on at some weddings centuries ago, and frankly no one remembers why or when, but as a result, the parents must hand make all the food so they know who poisoned whom." She grinned. "Terisan's parents are terrible cooks, I almost got food poisoning," she added in a whisper that carried.

Terisan grumbled while Gerandik laughed. "I _did_ get food poisoning," he said. "My parents almost had the marriage dissolved."

"It's genetic, what can I say?" Selika said with a shrug.

"Anyway, Chef and I, how do you say it, flipped a coin?" When Trip nodded, she smiled, "to determine who would cook for whom. So, Reed, you are my son for the evening, and Tucker gets to hope I'm not poisoning him for all those times he let the kids loose in my galley. And Tucker, since you are Chef's son for the evening, Reed gets to hope that Chef is not preemptively making sure Reed keeps the children out of his galley."

Trip and Malcolm couldn't help but laugh at that. "I sincerely doubt either of you would be bad enough cooks to poison anyone." Malcolm said.

Chef and Waslia smiled, and Trip and Malcolm went willingly to their table, along with Chancel and Merisel.

The dinner was fantastic, and lacking in food poisoning. Fortunately, they managed to avoid the dancing, although the sheer number of times they had to kiss due to one crewmate or another tapping their knives on their glasses was a running joke by the end. Terisan, Waslia, and the others took Chancel and Merisel back to the _Kraynita_ so Trip and Malcolm could be alone in their new quarters for the night.

Once the door was shut behind them, Trip pressed Malcolm up against the bulkhead. //I love you,// he said as they kissed. //God, I love you, Malcolm Reed.//

//I love you too, Charles Tucker,// Malcolm replied, kissing back as he undid the fastenings of Trip's jacket. //Now take me to bed and ravish me, since we have at least one night to ourselves and we just got married again.//

//I'd rather you ravish me,// Trip replied with a smile, biting at Malcolm's earlobe.

Malcolm moaned aloud. //Naked first, we'll decide on ravishing later,// he ordered.

//Yes, sir, husband sir.//

* * *

The _Kraynita_ left them two days later, operating under her own power again, and with Kerth's step-son and one of his wives on board as the new engineers for the ship. They'd looked properly appreciative of the engine, making Trip feel better about leaving their friends in the hands of what were, to him, strangers. Kerth was thrilled to have family aboard, Wessic less so ("But maybe he's grown up a bit, used to bite my leg when he was a child just because he didn't like me kissing my own wives. Any of them."). Terisan had reluctantly given the order for the _Kraynita_ to disengage from the _Enterprise_ and continue on her way to Horatia Minor.

Trip, Malcolm, Merisel, and Chancel were on the bridge when the _Kraynita_ left. Merisel buried her face into Trip's collar as the _Kraynita_ warped out of sight. Chancel turned his face into Malcolm's hip. Malcolm stroked his son's hair. He understood, the _Kraynita_ had been their home, their safe space since being adopted by their family. 

"Commander Tucker, Lieutenant Commander Reed, I believe you two have the next shift free," Captain Archer said, turning in his chair. "Why don't you and your children spend some time together until then?" Jon's face was kind, recognizing the emotional ties they all had to the previous ship. 

"Thank you, Captain," Malcolm said. He gently directed Chancel to the turbolift, Trip and Merisel following. None of the family spoke until they reached Trip and Malcolm's quarters. Chancel reached up and entered in his and Merisel's code. They had their own code to the room, one that would open it unless Malcolm and Trip had specially locked the room, and then it would chime, giving the parents time to scramble into their clothing before answering the door.

"Will we like Earth?" Merisel asked when they were all sitting on Trip and Malcolm's bed, the two men leaning against each other, the children in their arms.

"I hope so, Meri," Malcolm replied. "You'll have more family there, your Aunt Maddy and Grandmother Reed and Grandma and Grandpa Tucker."

"Tyla-airith and tyla-tyriths?" Chancel asked.

It took Malcolm a second to remember that tyla was the prefix and honorific for ones forebears by the lines in Morganian. "Yes, tyla-airiths and tyla-tyriths. I know my father hasn't written to you, but you will meet him."

"And hopefully my sister Elizabeth and my brother Albert. Guess Mom hasn't been able to get in touch with them, or they just haven't written yet. But I'll make sure you get to meet them when we get home."

"More family," Chancel said softly. Malcolm hugged him.

"Family that will love you, no matter what, Chancel-myeth." //Merisel will actually be the odd one out on Earth,// he said to Trip. //We'll have to keep an eye on her there.//

//Eye on both of them, being alien children. Just as a precaution.//

Merisel looked up at her father. "Daddy?"

"What is it baby?"

"Do you have the empty family pouches from Tianara-meranith?"

//I'd forgotten about those.// Malcolm said when Trip blinked at her.

"I do. Why?" Trip asked. //I had too, but they're in my drawer in the desk.//

"Before we get to Earth, we should do the lines. So everyone knows you are our Daddy and Airith, and we don't have to worry again." She reached out and grabbed Chancel's hand. "We want to stay with you." Chancel nodded in agreement.

Trip placed a kiss on Merisel's head. "Then let me get up and get them so we can do this." //I think the kids are more nervous about moving to Earth than they really want to let on, darling.//

//I think you are right, love, but can you blame them after everything that's just happened? They want the security of their own lines and us having their lines, even if it means nothing on Earth. But to them, it is everything.//

//And to us as well,// Trip said. //I take the lines very seriously when someone gives them to me, whether it's of their own volition or a mother transferring her daughter's lines to me to ensure her daughter has a family.// He pulled the pouches out of the drawer and came back over, sitting on the bed. Chancel and Merisel moved, sitting so that they were all in a loose circle, and the two children had pulled out their own family pouches.

"First," she said, reaching for Chancel's pouch. He held onto it and reached for Merisel's. As Trip and Malcolm watched, the two children closed their eyes. Both of their pouches began to glow, not as brightly as when Chancel had given his lines to Malcolm or Trip, or Merisel to Malcolm, but still noticeable. Merisel opened her eyes and grinned at Chancel. "I knew that he couldn't have taken you from us totally, not with our lines exchanged," she said. 

"I know," Chancel said softly. "But I like having all our lines." He turned to Malcolm, reaching out for his hand. "Airith?"

Malcolm held out his hand, and watched as Chancel closed his eyes. Malcolm closed his eyes as well, not watching this time. Instead, he concentrated on the connection to Chancel, almost seeing the line that came from his heart, or his soul, and connected to Chancel through the family pouch. The glow of the connection dimmed after a moment, but it was still there. He could also see a second, slightly dimmer, line going from his heart or soul to somewhere else, not to the pouch Chancel held but to the left of Chancel. Merisel's line, he would guess.

Malcolm opened his eyes and smiled at his son, letting go of his hand to ruffle his hair. Chancel grinned and then turned to Trip, who did the same as Malcolm, closing his eyes. The pouched glowed, again a little dimmer than before, but still bright. When Trip opened his eyes, he looked a little awed as he reached out and ruffled Chancel's hair. //Did you see the lines?// Trip asked on their link.

//I did. Both of them, one to each of our children. Maybe we will be able to give our lines to each other.// He could feel more of a connection with the children than before as well. Whatever the try'al'aeth had done in trying to take the lines from the two of them that they had given to Chancel all those months ago, it had apparently had the unexpected effect of strengthening the bond as well, making their connection to their children more like those of Morganians. They had never been able to feel their children before on an emotional bonding level, but now they could. Different than what they felt for each other, but no less precious for it.

//As much as I'd like to rub this in that smug bastard's face, that by trying to take Chancel he made our bonds stronger, I don't think I ever want to see him again.// Trip said.

//Let's not. I might have to punch him.//

Merisel took one of the empty pouches. She and Chancel held onto it together, holding it out while still holding onto their family pouches. "Airith, Daddy? Who wants to go first?"

Malcolm and Trip looked at each other. //You adopted Merisel first,// Malcolm said. //So you technically started this, you should start now.//

//Uh-huh. I didn't see you hesitating to adopt Chancel,// he grumbled with a smile as he put his right hand on top of the pouch the children were holding out to him. 

//No, I didn't. And I don't regret it. Either of their adoptions.//

//Me either.// Trip closed his eyes and Malcolm watched, feeling through his kt'alini bond with Trip, and his line bond with Chancel and Merisel, that they were concentrating. The pouch started to glow, brighter than Malcolm had ever seen. A sense of awe came from Trip, and a burst of the parental love they both felt for their children. After a minute, the glow faded, and Trip opened his eyes, looking down at the pouch in his hand. //Oh my god, Malcolm,// he said. Chancel and Merisel let go of the pouch and Trip curled his fingers around it protectively.

Chancel had picked up the second pouch, and Merisel covered it with her hand as they held it out to Malcolm. He didn't hesitate, reaching out to put his hand on the pouch. He closed his eyes, and concentrated. 

He saw the lines that went to the children's pouches reaching out from his heart. He felt a shift, a change in the connection, saw more lines sprout from the children and go into what he knew was the pouch they were all holding. The lines twisted and entwined, and then he felt his own line, his own connection, emerge, twisting around the children's into the pouch, and then the emotional connection hit him, his children's feelings, their worry about losing their parents, about living on Earth, and their relief at this connection, at having their parents back in the way that parents should be, connected by lines in a two way connection, their souls connected.

When the connection stabilized, Malcolm opened his eyes. Chancel and Merisel withdrew their hands from the pouch, and Malcolm found his fingers curling around it like Trip's had, keeping it safe. //Wow.// he found himself saying. He opened his arms, and when the kids dove into his arms, he held on tightly, and Trip joined the hug.

"We should have found a way to do this sooner," Trip murmured. "We needed this. Family."

"Family," Malcolm echoed.

"Family," the kids said. 

After a few moments of family hugs, Merisel and Chancel pulled back. "You should exchange lines," Merisel said.

"Can we?" Trip asked, out loud and on their kt'alini bond.

"Yes," Chancel replied. He took Malcolm's hand with his pouch, and Trip's free hand, and joined them, and Trip's hand with his pouch and Malcolm's free hand and joined them. He grinned at them. "Il'endi wedding, human wedding, Morganian wedding."

"Third time's the charm?" Trip asked with a smile, looking at Malcolm.

"At least this wedding doesn't involve the captain giving speeches," he said. They both closed their eyes and concentrated. Malcolm saw the lines to the children, and after a moment, Trip's lines to the children came into view, both glowing blue. After a moment, two new lines appeared, both a dark yellow, twining around each other before settling into the pouch. Malcolm sighed, feeling the connection between him and Trip becoming deeper, a soul connection as well as the mental connection. He felt a nuzzle, Trip brushing against the connection, and returned it.

When the lines had stabilized, he opened his eyes to look at Trip. Trip smiled back at him. //Wow.// Trip said.

//Indeed.// Malcolm reached out and pulled Chancel into a hug as Trip pulled in Merisel, and then they all embraced. They were finally a family, in Morganian law, and as soon as Maddy and Trip's father Charles could pull it off for them on Earth, in human law. And that was all they needed.

* * *

Malcolm walked into his and Trip's quarters to find Chancel sitting on their bed, playing with the toy dinosaurs that Lieutenant Harville had offered to him for use on ship. Apparently, they'd been a good luck present from her much younger brother when she'd entered Starfleet, and had accompanied her on every posting. She'd offered them to Chancel and Merisel while they were on _Enterprise_ , and while Meri hadn't been impressed, Chancel loved them. Malcolm wondered if there was something genetic about children and dinosaurs across species.

Chancel had turned the covers into a mountain and valley combination, and the two dinosaurs were tromping across it. Movement had Malcolm glancing up to see Trip coming out of the small bathroom, his finger to his lips. Malcolm grinned and didn't say a word, not even mentally, instead watching his son to soak up the sight of him playing like a child.

"Yes, yes. This is a fertile land and we will thrive!" Chancel had the stegosaurus saying. "We will rule over all this land and we will call it... This Land."

//This Land?// Trip asked.

Chancel's voice changed as he had the theropod hop up to the stegosaurus. "I think we should call it... your grave!" The theropod attacked the stegosaurus.

//Oh my,// Malcolm said.

"Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!" Chancel said in the stegosaurus ' voice as it struggle to escape the theropod.

The two dinosaurs struggled, then the theropod laughed. "Ha ha ha, mine is an evil laugh!"

At that, Malcolm couldn't help himself, he burst out laughing, Trip joining in. Chancel stopped and looked up, eyes wide, then grinned at his fathers.

"What in the world are you doing, Chancel-myeth?" Malcolm asked as he came over and sat down on the bed. Trip stayed by the bathroom, watching them.

"Playing dinosaurs!"

"Really."

"Uh huh! Uncle Travis showed me this cool video clip from a show about people on a space ship, and their pilot was playing with dinosaurs too, just like this!"

"And what was this show called?" Trip asked. //We may have to talk to Travis about age appropriate content.//

Chancel thought for a second. "Firefly!" he finally said. 

//Only Travis,// Trip said, shaking his head. //Hopefully he didn't teach Chancel any Chinese from there.//

Malcolm reached out and picked up the theropod. "Dinosaurs on a space ship," he said. "How very Whovian." He grinned at Chancel. "Shall we see if my laugh is more evil?"

"Yes!" Chancel yelled.

Malcolm laughed evilly and Chancel giggled, then their dinosaurs were battling while Trip watched them both with a fond smile on his face.

* * *

The trip back to Earth was relatively uneventful, other than a detour to assist another ship that was stranded due to a malfunctioning warp core. Malcolm had been on the bridge, and Trip and Lieutenants Meyer and Hess had accompanied the captain to the other ship. Fortunately, there had not been any incidents, so there had been no need to rescue anyone, something for which Malcolm was profoundly glad. He didn't want to be chasing after his husband and his captain in the _Enterprise_.

Now, he stood on the bridge behind Alan as the _Enterprise_ entered the Sol system. The familiar sight of her major planets made him smile a tiny smile. 

//I can feel you being happy up there. What's going on?//

//Neptune, at the moment. Then Saturn.//

//Oh hey, we're in Sol?//

//Yes, we are. Should pull your head out of the warp engine every once in a while, love,// Malcolm teased.

//Yeah, yeah, yeah.//

"Hoshi," the captain said. "Hail Starfleet and let them know our ETA at Earth."

"Aye, sir," Hoshi said.

"All hands, this is the Captain speaking," Jon said, hitting the communications button on his chair. "We have entered the Sol system and are en route to Earth. As you know, while the _Enterprise_ is being repaired and upgraded, Starfleet has authorized shore leave for the crew staying with the ship on a rotating basis. Your Department heads will have the schedule. For those of who have elected or have orders to transfer from the _Enterprise_ ," he added with a look toward Malcolm, "It has been an honor serving with you, and I know that we could not have managed the past mission without each and every one of you. I wish you all well in your next postings." He ended the communication. "Lieutenant Commander Reed, Lieutenant Meyer, I'm presuming your shore leave rotation is filed?"

"Yes, sir," Lieutenant Meyer replied. "Awaiting your approval."

"With one modification, as the Lieutenant neglected to add himself to the shore leave rotation," Malcolm added causally. "That new rotation is in your box, sir."

"Thank you, Lieutenant Commander Reed." Jon nodded at the two men and turned to T'Pol.

"I didn't need shore leave, sir," Alan said quietly from the tactical station.

"Yes, you do. Don't let this take over your life, trust me on this."

"If you say so. Are the kids looking forward to being on Earth?" 

"More excited about meeting family. I'm a little nervous on seeing mine again."

"Understandable, sir."

"Lieutenant Commander Reed," Jon called out, "since you and Commander Tucker are on duty, who is on childcare today?" Jon rarely asked, but Malcolm knew that he needed to know where they were and what member of his crew was potentially taking time out of his or her day to watch the children. It was something that Trip and Malcolm actively tried to avoid, having both of them on duty at the same time, but sometimes, as now, it was needed. 

"Doctor Phlox wanted to update their medical charts prior to arriving at Earth, so he is giving them physicals and then ensuring they are the completing their assignments. He will call on us if there is a medical emergency requiring one of us to take the children with him."

Jon nodded. "Fair enough. Let Commander Tucker know that he and Lieutenant Hess are needed on the bridge. I think the command crew we started with, as well as the current members of the command crew, should be on the bridge when the _Enterprise_ returns to Earth."

Malcolm nodded. //Trip, Captain is asking for you and Hess to be on the bridge when we arrive at Earth.//

//We're almost done here and then we'll head on up.// Trip sounded a little distracted, so Malcolm just sent a mental caress through their bond and then nodded to the captain.

"He and Lieutenant Hess will be here as soon as they can once they finish up what they are doing. He didn't say what that was, sir."

"Just make sure they're here," he said, turning back to the screen.

"Aye, sir," Malcolm replied. 

An hour and a half later, Malcolm smiled at his husband as Trip and Lieutenant Hess stepped off the turbolift onto the bridge, Chancel in Trip's arms. Phlox came off the turbolift with Merisel at his side, and she darted over to where Malcolm stood behind Alan. He picked her up and went to stand next to Trip and Phlox, behind the captain's chair, as Hess went to the Engineering station.

Trip nodded toward the viewscreen as Earth came into view as the ship came out of warp. "There is it, Chancel. Earth."

"It's blue," he said with a frown. Trip and Malcolm smiled.

"It's pretty!" Merisel replied. "That's our new home, right, Airith?"

"That's right, Meri. That's home." //At least one of the children is excited.//

//Chancel's last stay on a planet wasn't great, not surprised he's a bit hesitant,// Trip replied.

"Sir, we're being hailed. Audio only." 

"Let's hear it, Hoshi."

The speakers crackled to life, and Trip and Malcolm reached for each other's free hands, squeezing tightly. " _Enterprise_ , this is Starfleet Command," Admiral Forrest's voice said. "Welcome home."

* * *

_Two years later_

Malcolm Reed followed the sounds of laughter through the house to the backyard. He paused on the threshold, smiling, as he watched Merisel and Chancel run around the yard, alternately chasing and being chased by their beagle, Commander Cosmo. Trip stood next to the grill, frowning at the flames licking at the steaks.

//Problems?//

//Meri wants hers rare. I hate trying to figure out when it's rare enough for her, but still cooked.//

//We do have a food thermometer.//

Trip looked up at Malcolm with a disgusted look. //That's just cheating.//

Laughing, Malcolm went back into the house, grabbing two beers from the fridge and two bottles of juice for the kids. It had been a long week, albeit one that had started on a high note for Trip and himself with the official launch of the NX-02 _Columbia_. Unfortunately, that had been followed by a solid week of meetings in which the admiralty nitpicked everything that had and hadn't been done, with an eye to the NX-03, but considering they hadn't even had time for lunch between the launch and the first meeting, well, Malcolm had been crankier than usual.

//At least it's over now.// Trip smiled as Malcolm came back outside. //R&D work starts Monday. And until then, it's just you, me, the kids, and the dog.//

//Sounds like a perfect weekend.// Malcolm set the juice on the table and went to stand by the railing, watching the kids as they flopped onto the ground, Cosmo crawling on top of them to lick at Merisel's face, earning giggles from both kids.

//Always is, with our family.// Trip slid an arm around Malcolm's shoulders as they watched their children. //You regret it? Staying here on Earth?// Captain Hernandez had, only half-jokingly, been trying to recruit Malcolm as her first officer.

//As if I would leave you and our children,// Malcolm scoffed. //Not now that we are finally settled in our home.//

//Good point.// Trip smiled and leaned in to kiss his husband.

"I'm hungry!" Chancel's yell interrupted their kiss as he barreled into Trip's legs.

"Dinner's cooking," Trip replied, looking down. "Hold your horses."

"We don't have horses! Just Cosmo! He's hungry, too!" Merisel said, Cosmo at her side. 

"He has to wait for dinner to cook, same as you two," Malcolm said, picking her up and setting her on the railing. Trip set Chancel next to her, the kids leaning back against them.

"Sunset," Chancel said softly.

"Yep," Trip replied, taking a sip of his beer. "Y'all miss the ships?" he asked them curiously. Malcolm looked down at Merisel, who was frowning thoughtfully.

"I miss people," Chancel said. "But I like being here."

"Meri?" Malcolm asked.

"You're here," she said. "So this is home."

"Yes, it is," Malcolm said, looking up at his husband. "Home."

"Home," Trip echoed, smiling. He slid his free arm around Malcolm again. Together, they stood on the porch with their children, watching the sun set in the skies of their home.


End file.
